Jerry Koosman, one of the defining pitchers from the Mets’ first golden era, has died at 83.
The left-hander was a key part of both the 1969 World Champion Mets and the 1973 National League champions, and he remained one of the most recognizable figures from that era. The Mets honored him with a place in their Hall of Fame, and his No. 36 has been retired by the club.
Koosman’s path to Queens began in Appleton, Minnesota. He was discovered while serving in the military, and the Mets signed him after his service ended.
He reached the majors in 1967, then became a full-time Mets pitcher in 1968 and immediately made his mark. That season, he went 19-12 with a 2.08 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 263.2 innings, finishing second to Johnny Bench in Rookie of the Year voting.
His 1969 season was just as memorable. Koosman won two games in the World Series, working 17 and two-thirds innings across those two starts, and he was awarded the ball Cleon Jones caught for the final out of the game.
For years, Koosman settled in as the Mets’ No. 2 starter behind Tom Seaver, and he put together plenty of strong seasons in that role. One of his best came in 1976, when he won 21 games and finished second in Cy Young voting. After the Mets’ disastrous 1978 season, he asked to be traded and was dealt to the Twins for Greg Field and, later as a player to be named later, Jesse Orosco.
Across 12 seasons with the Mets, Koosman posted a 140-137 record with a 3.07 ERA. He was an All-Star in 1968 and 1969.
His career had one more big spike in 1979 with the Twins, but after that it never quite reached those heights again. He spent two and a half seasons in Minnesota, two and a half with the White Sox, and two with the Phillies before retiring after the 1985 season. He finished with 53.6 bWAR.
Koosman still ranks third in Mets pitching wins with 140, behind Seaver and Dwight Gooden. The Mets inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1989 and retired his number in 2021, making him just the third Mets player to receive that honor.
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